I Go Crazy without You
by Santashelper834
Summary: Maka and Soul are sent on an assignment to hunt down a witch with a mysterious power. They soon experience firsthand what it's like to have their dreams come true.
1. Midnight Laughter

**Hey all you Soul Eater fans! I hope you enjoy this new story: I Go Crazy without You.**

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Chapter 1: Midnight Laughter

Maka Albarn flashed open her green eyes. Her hand reached for her forehead to wipe the cold sweat trickling down into her hair. "It was only a dream," she whispered to the surrounding darkness in her bedroom. There was a faint purr from the foot of her bed and she knew Blair was fast asleep. She attempted to relax under her covers but her whole body trembled violently. The image from her dream flashed through her mind every time she closed her eyes. _I have to be sure…_

Slowly, Maka pulled back her blanket and climbed out of her bed. She carefully tiptoed to the door and managed to open and close it without a sound. Unknown to her, however, was a single golden eye watching her leave the room.

There she stood, right in front of Soul's bedroom. _Ugh. What am I even doing?_ Maka leaned her head against the cold wooden door and closed her eyes. Instantly the image from her dream popped into her mind. _I have to know if…_

"GAH!" Suddenly she was falling straight for the floor. She reached out both hands to catch herself but the floor appeared sooner than she anticipated. "Ouch!" yelped Maka as she rubbed her head which had collided with the ground.

"Maka," said Soul's surprised voice, "What are you doing?"

She looked up at him and realized that she was sprawled at his feet, his hand on the doorknob. "Obviously I was…" _Going into your bedroom while you were sleeping like some pervert. _"Trying to find the bathroom but it was too dark and I ended up…here." Warmth was rising to her cheeks so she decided to cover it up by sounding angry. "What are _you_ doing?"

"Well," Soul began slowly, "I had to go to the bathroom."

Maka glared up at him. "Anyway, are you going to help me up or not?"

"Yeah, yeah," Soul replied. He mumbled something else that Maka couldn't understand, but she chose not to comment about it. He didn't look very happy. A hand appeared in front of her face and Soul pulled her up. "What's wrong?" He asked suddenly. Maka peered at his face; his expression had changed into one of concern.

"Nothing's wrong."

"Then why are you trembling?"

"I-I'm fine. I'm going to bed." She spun around and took a step to leave when she felt pressure on her wrist and something pulling her back.

"Come on," Soul said with a sigh. He guided her into his room and pushed her on the bed by her shoulders, forcing her to sit down. Next, he grabbed a chair from his desk and placed it right in front of her. Plopping down on the chair, Soul leaned closer to her, staring straight into her eyes. "Spill it," he commanded.

Maka looked down at her hands in her lap. She already knew how he would react. "I…had a nightmare," she said in a small voice. It was deathly quiet for a mere ten seconds until…

"AHAHAHAHAHA! A nightmare! That's hilarious!"

"Shut up, Soul! It's not funny! I'm serious!"

"AHAHAHAHAHA!" He clutched his side, still roaring with laughter.

Maka just about had enough. "Maka Chop!" She bashed the top of his head with a book.

"What was that for?!" Now he was clutching his head.

"I was being serious," she said with an angry frown.

"I'm sorry," Soul replied indignantly. "What was it about?"

"You died," Maka stated bluntly without much emotion that made Soul flinch. "Someone, I can't remember who, cut open your abdomen and started pulling out…"

"Okay, okay!" He interrupted her. "That's enough."

"You're the one who wanted to know," she said without sympathy and turned her head away from him. A hand gently squeezed hers and Maka turned back to Soul. There was a lopsided grin on his face.

"You don't have to worry about it. I'm right here and I'm not going to die any time soon."

She smiled sheepishly. "I know."

"Well then. Now that that's been taken care of," Soul released her hand and stood up, "I can go to the bathroom before I wet myself."

Maka giggled and shook her head as Soul raced out of the room. She leaned back against the wall, pulled her legs up to her chest and rested her chin on her knees. To be honest, she didn't know why she stayed in Soul's room but she enjoyed talking to him, and being in his presence made her feel safe. She smiled with fondness at the memories they shared of fighting side by side. They were an unstoppable team, when they weren't fighting with each other. They had already accomplished so much, and yet there was still much more to come.

Soul watched Maka from the doorway. She hadn't noticed him yet so he decided to just watch her, and _not in a creepy way_ he kept telling himself. She was sitting on his bed with her legs pulled to her chest and she was wearing her very unflattering plaid pajamas. He grinned. There was a word for what she looked like…Cute. _Ha! Maka cute? Don't make me laugh._ But he couldn't seem to think of another word. He walked fully into the room and Maka turned to him.

"Did you wash your hands?" she teased.

"Course not! I never wash my hands." He walked over to her and sat down on the bed.

Maka laughed. "That's disgusting!" Soul scooted closer to her and attempted to wipe his "dirty" hands all over her face. She laughed harder and tried to push his hands away. "Gah! Don't wipe your pee hands all over me!"

"I didn't just go pee."

They were both hysterically laughing now. Maka scrambled to the other end of the bed but fell on her back. Soul seized the opportunity to attack and rub his hands all over her face. Once he was satisfied he scooted over to the other side of the bed but Maka stayed where she was, their laughter slowly dying down.

"Hey Soul?" asked Maka and rested her legs on his lap.

"Yeah?"

"We make a good team."

"Heh. Where did that come from?"

She only giggled.

They sat in silence for several minutes, each one lost in their own thoughts. The apartment creaked and light from a nearby lamppost streamed from a crack in the curtains illuminating their surroundings. Soul's eyes started to burn from lack of sleep and his head began to droop to his chest.

"Maka?"

No answer.

"Hey Maka," he said a little louder.

Still no answer. He leaned closer to see her face and found that she was already asleep. He smiled. Carefully, as to not wake her, he moved her legs from his lap, stood up and pulled the blankets over her. Noticing a lock of hair on her check, he brushed it away with a finger.

"Wait, where am I gonna sleep now?"

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**Look for chapter 2: "Another Day at DWMA" next week. Thank you for reading!**


	2. Another Day at DWMA

**Hello all! I really wasn't expecting much from the first chapter so I was very surprised by the reviews and followers. You guys made my day! I will not disappoint. **

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_Chapter 2: Another Day at DWMA_

Morning light danced behind Maka's closed eyelids. _I don't want to wake up yet! It's too cozy in bed. _She grumbled and burrowed deeper into the covers. Sleep had almost taken over her again when she heard Blair sing close to the door.

"Soooooul!"

_Why do they have to be so noisy this early? _

"Wakey, wakey!"

_Why is her voice getting louder?_

"Blair wants to play!"

Suddenly, the bed dipped and it felt like someone was crawling over her. _What the…? _

"It's time to wake up!" Blair's voice was right in her ear.

Maka pulled the blanket from over her head and was face to face with the purple-haired bombshell. They both stared at each other in surprise. Seconds ticked by in awkward silence.

"What are you doing?" Maka asked in a dangerous voice.

"I could ask you the same thing."

"What are you talking about? "

Blair's grin made Maka worried. The cat poked the tip of her nose. "You're sleeping in Soul's bed, Silly."

"WHAT?!" Maka bolted upright, throwing Blair off the bed. She frantically searched her surroundings praying for any sign that she was in her own room. The posters, the records, the bedspread, the lack of books…

"What's going on in here?" Maka's eyes snapped in horror at the direction of the voice. Soul was standing at the doorway wearing an apron. "What's with that face?"

"S-S-S…" It was so mortifying that she couldn't even say his name. Her face brightened the color of a ripe tomato. All she wanted to do was dig herself a grave and die! Soul, on the other hand, seemed completely normal despite the situation.

"Don't remember, do you? It'll come back to you soon enough." He turned to leave. "Breakfast is almost ready."

Maka clapped her hands over her flaming cheeks. "Blair!" she cried desperately.

"Don't ask me. I don't know what you two were doing last night." Blair stood up and readjusted herself. "I heard you guys yelling and laughing. Actually, the whole city heard the two of you."

"The whole city!" Maka groaned and sank back in the bed. _Gah! This is Soul's! _She sprang from the bed and nearly tripped over a chair in the middle of the room. _Oh yeah! I remember now. I came to Soul's room because of that stupid dream and then he was rubbing his dirty hands all over my face. _She sighed with relief and relaxed a bit. It wasn't as bad as it seemed.

"Oh! You remembered," said Blair. "From the look on your face it must've been nice." Maka shot her a nasty glare but she only winked back. "I'm going to take a bath."

The day was already turning out for the worst. What else could possibly go wrong? She slowly dragged her feet out of Soul's bedroom to the kitchen where she knew he would be. He was at the stove making the last of breakfast and didn't notice her come in. Maka pulled a chair from the table and plopped down.

There was the faint tapping sound in Soul's direction and upon observation she noticed that he was moving his fingers as if the counter was a piano. This did nothing to lighten her mood. She pouted and rested her chin in her hand.

"Here." Maka glanced up to find Soul with a plate. She moved aside so he could place it in front of her.

"Thanks," she mumbled. It looked delicious! There were pancakes with syrup, eggs and bacon. "It looks really good, Soul."

He only shrugged off the compliment. "I woke up early…" Maka looked down guiltily. "You remember now?"

"Yeah. You should have woken me up."

"And risk being Maka Chopped? I don't think so." He grabbed a plate for himself and sat in front of her.

"Where did you sleep then?" asked Maka with a slight blush.

"On the couch," Soul said in between a bite of food. He swallowed and raised an eyebrow. "Why? Did you want me to sleep with you?"

Maka's blushed reddened. "N-No, of course not! Who would want to sleep with you!?" She stabbed an egg with her fork and chomped it.

Soul chuckled. After spotting Maka's death glare he quieted. "So…did you have that dream again?"

"You mean the one where your insides were being ripped out?" Soul grimaced. "No, I didn't have it again."

"That's good," he said and continued to eat his food. Maka peered up at him. She didn't want to admit it but the dream worried her more than she let off. Seeing Soul be torn apart was almost as horrifying as finding herself in his bed. He looked so calm and collected. Maka wished she could be more like that, but her emotions always got in the way.

Soul finally looked up from his food and caught her staring at him. "What?"

She quickly dashed her head away. "Nothing."

"Well, hurry up or we'll be late for Stein's class."

"Yeah."

* * *

The blond girl's pigtails swayed as she pranced down the hallway of the DWMA towards Dr. Stein's classroom. Soul walked behind her, hands deep in his coat pockets. He struggled to keep from bursting into hysterical laughter as he watched her. She was far too happy of a person.

As they drew closer to the classroom Maka stopped in her tracks and whipped around. Soul's lip curled in a grimace. _This can't be good._ She had a menacing look in her eyes as she stepped closer to him.

"Don't you dare tell anyone what happened last night. Got that, Soul Evans?"

"You like pissing me off don't you?" he glowered at the use of his full name. He saw a hint of a grin before she spun back around and entered the room. _Nope, I was wrong; she's not happy, she's downright crazy._ One minute she seemed completely normal and the next she was threatening him. He rubbed his face with a hand. "What did I do to deserve this?" he groaned and proceeded to follow Maka.

Most of the students were already seated, chatting excitedly to their neighbors; some-mostly girls-whispered and made goo-goo eyes at him as he passed. Soul didn't react in the slightest. Either he simply didn't care or he was completely unobservant. He sank into a spot between Maka and Patty, and leaned back in his chair.

Maka sat eagerly waiting for Stein, her books placed neatly in front of her. Patty had dumped all of her crayons on the desk and was coloring a rainbow. Death the Kid was rearranging his notebook and pencils so they were perfectly symmetrical. Liz was painting her fingernails. Tsubaki was sitting quietly with a worried expression. And Black Star… was nowhere to be found.

"Hey Tsubaki," Soul asked, "Where's Black Star?"

"I-I don't know," she replied. "He overheard me talking to Sid about our last assignment. I told him we did well but that Black Star still has a hard time being quiet when he tries to ambush the opponent." The whole group was listening intently now. "And…I said we would do a lot better if he learned to be quiet but I thought that would be impossible. I haven't seen Black Star since then."

"Do you think he'd be upset by that?" asked Liz as she waved her hand to dry the dark blue nail polish.

Tsubaki shook her head. "He wouldn't be upset by it but he would do something outrageous and get himself in trouble. That's why I'm worried."

Everyone nodded in unison. "Black Star would do something like that," said Kid and glanced down at his watch. "Maybe that's why Dr. Stein is a minute and 37 seconds late."

"Not everyone is as punctual as you are," said Liz.

"Well they should be…" Kid replied matter-of-factly and their arguing began.

Again Tsubaki sat quietly, earnestly watching the door. Suddenly, a voice whispered, "Tsubaki," in her ear and sent her screaming. The whole classroom stopped what they were doing but at the sound of Black Star's malicious laughter they continued about their business.

"AHAHAHAH! Scared ya didn't I, Tsubaki?"

"Y-yes Black Star, you scared me." She was as white as a sheet and her hand was over her pounding heart.

"Hey Maka!" Black Star yelled. Maka flinched and slowly turned around. "What happened with you and Soul last night that you didn't want anyone to know about?"

The room went deathly quiet and everyone turned to stare at Maka and Soul. Maka's face turned bright red; even Soul had a slight blush. She snapped her eyes to him and he raised his hands in surrender. "I didn't tell him anything," he said quietly so only she could hear.

"AHAHAHAH! I am Black Star: World's Greatest Assassin!" Black Star shouted, now standing on the desk. A pencil suddenly sailed through the air and impelled itself in his forehead. He fell backwards in a heap on the floor.

"Shut up and sit down." It was Stein who had rolled into the room unnoticed. With a loud and blood curling squeak, he turned the screw in the side of his head. "Alright, before we get started there was an urgent request that Maka and Soul go to Lord Death."

Soul caught Maka's eye, and they quickly packed their belongings and exited the room while hurried whispers followed them to the door. They walked down the hallway in silence until Soul couldn't take the awkwardness anymore. "I wonder what Lord Death wants." Maka only shrugged and the silence was back.

"Hiya! Welcome, welcome!" Lord Death said enthusiastically once they entered the room. Death scythes, Spirit and Marie were also present.

"Have you come to see Papa?" Spirit exclaimed, beaming in Maka's direction.

"No," she answered flatly which sent Spirit moping in a corner. "Lord Death asked to see us."

"Yup!" said Lord Death cheerfully. "I have an assignment for you two. There's a witch who isn't fond of us, not too surprising, but she's causing a lot of problems."

"I thought after the negotiations with the witches they didn't have a problem with us anymore," Soul said.

"There are many witches and some of them didn't approve of helping us fight the kishin," Marie answered. "This witch happens to be one of them."

"Where would you like us to go, Lord Death?" Maka asked.

"Paris, France."

"Paris," Marie sighed wishfully with hearts in her eyes, "The City of Love."

"The City of Love?" Soul raised his white eyebrows. "You're kidding, right?"

"I've never heard it called that before," said Maka.

Spirit's head perked up during their conversation and he mumbled the words, "Paris…Love?" His eyes darted to Soul who caught his beady death glare. Soul looked back at Marie who was still staring at him with hearts in her eyes. He ran his fingers through his hair; he didn't want to know what they were thinking.

"Come on, Maka. Let's go," he said and turned to leave.

"Right," she replied and followed after him.

As they walked away Soul sighed, suddenly feeling extremely tired. First it was the crazy morning, then the fiasco with Black Star, and now an assignment to Paris: 'The City of Love'. He should be used to it by now; it was just another typical day at DWMA.

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**I've always wanted to go to France... Stay tuned for the next chapter: Kill or Be Killed. Thanks for reading! :D**


	3. Kill or Be Killed

**Chapter 3 is here! Sorry for the long wait.  
I get so nervous and excited when I post a new chapter. I really hope you guys like it...  
**

**((There is violence toward the end.))  
**

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_Chapter 3: Kill or Be Killed_

The scenery zoomed by the window in a flurry of green and blue as the passenger train chugged down the tracks. Next stop Paris, France: "The City of Love" as they called it, a place where love blooms even for the most devout singles.

Soul was resting his head in his hand, quickly dozing off while drool trickled down his chin. The train whistle blew so loudly that he bolted upright. He frantically looked around but settled down once he realized what it was. Maka snorted and hid her smirk behind the book she was reading.

"Stupid train," he mumbled under his breath and wiped the saliva off with the back of his hand. "Maka," he began with a slight whine, "You've been reading that book the whole trip. You must've read it a hundred times by now."

Her green eyes glared over the top of the thickly bound book. "I have not."

"What is it anyway?" Soul stood up and reached out to grab the book from her but she quickly snatched it away. He met her eyes as if accepting the challenge. He made another grab for it but Maka moved it to the left, to the right, up, down. Finally, Soul managed to seize the thing.

He laughed triumphantly. "I got it!"

"Give it back, Soul!"

Someone cleared their throat loudly. "Monsieur, Mademoiselle." It was one of the train conductors. "You are disturbing the other passengers," he said in a thick French accent. Many of the surrounding passengers were giving Maka and Soul angry stares.

"We're sorry, Sir," Maka replied, and Soul immediately sat next to her and handed back her book. He slumped down into the seat. "We'll be there in about an hour," she said encouragingly. "Then we can check into our hotel and relax before looking for the witch tomorrow."

"Yeah, but it's going to be _the_ longest hour in the world. So uncool…"

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The sun was huffing from exhaustion as it set behind the horizon when Maka and Soul finally reached their cottage-like hotel. They hauled their luggage through the door and to the front counter. Maka rang the little bell and waited patiently for the receptionist. Soul leaned back and propped both elbows on the counter.

"It's too cute," he said out of the blue.

"What are you talking about?"

"The decorations. It's all frills and… cutesy things." There was a hint of disgust in his voice.

Maka looked around. Soul was right; there was an interesting choice of floral wallpaper and frilly curtains. "I thought you liked frills and cute things," she replied.

Soul glanced over at her. "What makes you think that?"

"In The Book of Eibon I distinctly remember you turning into a cute girl with a frilly dress." She raised her eyebrow, waiting for him to deny it.

He stared at her without saying anything for a while but finally turned his head forward and said, "It wasn't a frilly dress, and at least I wasn't like you who looked exactly the same but with shorter hair."

Maka clenched her fists and opened her mouth to snap back but the owner chose that moment to appear.

"Bonsoir, Monsieur et Mademoiselle," the man said with a warm smile.

"Je m'appelle Maka Albarn," Maka replied and Soul raised a surprised eyebrow. "We…Um, nous…Need, I don't know what need is…une chambre et deux lits."

The receptionist smiled and nodded politely then surprised both Maka and Soul by saying, "One room and two beds? Come right this way."

Maka's jaw hit the floor and Soul chuckled quietly. The man led them up the stairs and she hung her head in defeat. There was pressure on her shoulder and she looked up to find Soul grinning.

"If it means anything, I was really impressed at first."

"Shut up," she mumbled even though there was a small smile on her face.

"This is your room," the man said while unlocking the third door on the right.

The room was very cramped with two beds on opposite sides and a small dresser between them. There was a single window overlooking the street below, and similar floral wallpaper as the foyer that matched the bedspreads.

"It's those frilly curtains you love so much," Maka whispered to Soul while playfully nudging him in the ribs.

"Ugh, we better find that witch fast."

"Here are your keys," the owner said and handed Soul the room keys. "Enjoy your stay." He smiled and closed the door behind him.

Soul immediately back flopped onto the nearest bed, stretched and positioned his hands under his head. Maka swung her suitcase on the other bed and began digging through her belongings until she pulled out her plaid pajamas.

"You're going to sleep already?" Soul asked, tilting his head back to see her.

"Not yet. I'm just getting ready for bed."

"Hurry up then. I want to take a shower."

Maka just stuck her tongue out at him. Five minutes later she came out of the bathroom with her pajamas on, hair down and smelling like toothpaste. Soul sprang off the bed and headed over.

"Took ya long enough," he teased and quickly shut the door before she could reply.

Once Soul finished his shower, he came out adorned in his own PJs consisting of shorts and a plain white t-shirt. Much cooler than what Maka wore in his opinion. As he towel dried his hair, his eyes immediately found Maka who was fast asleep in a sitting position on her bed. The same book she was reading on the train was open on her lap.

Soul chuckled, tiptoed over to her and picked up the book. The title read: _1,000 Fairy Tales_. _No wonder it's so huge,_ he thought. As he flipped through the pages one story in particular stood out to him called, "Cinderella." Mainly because he thought it sounded familiar. With book in hand, Soul turned off the overhead light, turned on the lamp near his bed, propped up his pillow against the headboard, leaned back and, for the first time in his life, read just for fun.

Soul was about to turn the first page of the story when Maka let out a series of strange noises and started thrashing around in her bed. That startled him. After all the years living with her, she had never made that much noise in her sleep. She didn't even snore unless she had a cold. Suddenly, she leapt from bed and began pacing around the room, her fists clenched in her hair and lips muttering incoherent words.

"Um Maka, are you okay?" asked Soul as he closed the fairy tale book and placed it on the dresser.

Maka abruptly stopped walking and shouted, "It's this way!" She ran to the window, ripped off the frilly curtains -Soul had been dying to do that ever since they got to the hotel- and swung it open. One leg was already out the window when Soul realized what she was doing. He rushed over to her and grasped both her arms.

"Whoa! What're you doing? We're on the second floor, Stupid." He pulled her away from the window and back to her bed. "If you have to go outside, use the door."

He was just about to go back and shut the window when Maka ran past him and started climbing out of it again. "What the…Maka!" Half of her body was already out the window when he reached her and grabbed her waist to pull her back inside, but this time she put up a fight. She dug her heels in the floor and clawed at his arms.

Somehow, in his struggle to keep Maka from jumping to her death, Soul tripped over the curtain rod and landed on top of her. Their foreheads collided, and for an instant he thought she was unconscious because she had stopped moving until her eyes blinked wildly up at him.

"What's going on?" she asked.

Then it finally dawned on him.

"You were asleep the whole time," he said mostly to himself.

"Asleep for _what_?" Her voice was dangerously low.

"You were trying to jump out the window, you idiot. And I was trying to stop you."

"Well, I'm awake now so you can get off me."

For a second time, the truth dawned on him: Maka was laying right underneath him. Cool guys like him should be use to being on top of girls, right? So why did his whole body feel hot as he looked down at her?

When he made no move to get up Maka pushed him off. She stood and fixed her shirt that had twisted around her body. "This is why I will never share a room with you. You do weird things," she said.

"_I_ do weird things! You're the one trying to kill yourself in your sleep!"

"Maybe I was trying to get away from _you_!"

Soul clenched his jaw in anger. "Whatever, I'm not going to argue with you." He climbed into bed and pulled the blanket over his head.

Maka stood there for a moment and watched him, then closed the window and latched it before climbing into her own bed. Neither one slept that night.

* * *

Three days passed since their arrival to Paris and every night was the same. Maka would have night terrors and Soul would try to stop her from hurting herself. It was physically exhausting for both of them.

They were shuffling through the crowded streets in search of any leads for the witch but they were having no such luck. Soul plopped down on a nearby bench and let out a gust of breath. Maka sank into a spot beside him.

"I give up," he said and tilted his head back to look up at the sky. "Let's go back to Death City and make someone else kill this witch."

Maka, who had been examining a new bruise on her leg, whipped her head in his direction. "We can't fail this assignment! You're a death scythe, and we killed Arachne and helped defeat Asura! I won't go back and let someone else take this job."

"Yeah, but we knew where they were. I'm sure if we found this dumb witch we could kill her in an instant."

Maka folded her arms and pouted angrily. "I'm not going back."

"Alright, alright! We won't go back," he said then mumbled, "It was worth a shot."

"Come on!" Maka sprang from her spot and tugged on Soul's arm. "Let's ask those people if they've noticed anything strange."

"Ask them yourself."

"Soul!"

"You'll be the death of me," he said as he stood up and allowed Maka to pull him to the group of people.

"Hello, have you guys noticed anything strange around here recently? Like people missing or not seeming like themselves?" Maka asked once they reached the small group.

"I can't think of anything…" replied one woman.

"There was that incident a few months ago when those teenagers disappeared after going inside that blue house," said another. "At least that's what the rumors say."

"Oh yes! That was a huge shock for everyone in the area," commented the first.

"Blue house?" Maka repeated. "Where is it?"

"It's on the outskirts of the city. If you travel west for about a mile, it's in a deserted field. Spooky little house…"

Maka turned to Soul with a curious look. "It can't hurt to check it out," he said.

"Thank you so much for the help!" she said to the group, and she and Soul were off.

* * *

Maka and Soul stood in the barren field in front of the rundown blue house. The woman they spoke to was definitely right when she mentioned it was spooky. The paint was almost chipped away but what little remained was bright blue. Boards covered the windows and the door was barely hanging on by the hinges.

It was like déjà vu as Maka stared at the house. Then she realized why. She clutched Soul's sleeve tightly. "I've seen this house before. It's in the dreams I keep having."

Soul peered down at her questioningly. "You think she's in there?" She slowly nodded. "So, what do we do now, ring the doorbell?" he asked lightly and took a step toward the house. Maka's grip on his sleeve tightened.

"Wait Soul! It…doesn't feel right."

"What do you mean?" he asked, turning back to her.

Suddenly, Maka's soul perception detected the presence of a witch. There was a chuckle and a voice that said, "You finally found me."

On the steps of the house was a woman with light blonde hair wearing a long, white, flowy dress. She was stunningly beautiful but when she turned her head to a certain angle, her face seemed to transform into something grotesque.

"Who are you?"Soul asked.

"I am Penelope," the witch answered. "I can be the girl of your dreams…" Pink spotted his cheeks as she stared deeply into his eyes. She continued speaking, "I can also be your worst nightmare." For just a moment, she turned into a hideous form but returned back to her beautiful self.

Soul whispered to Maka, "One of the crazier ones we've met I think."

"She's a bit freaky though," she replied.

Penelope chuckled again. "You don't take me seriously do you, Death Scythe and Meister? Perhaps a little demonstration of my powers will change your mind."

In a fraction of a second, Soul was on the ground while Penelope hovered above him. A knife flashed through the air and she sliced through his abdomen. It was Maka's nightmare turned real. Everything was exactly the same, even the horrific scene of Soul's internal organs being torn from his body.

The sound of Soul's screams of agony brought Maka out of her terror and shock. "STOP IT! Get away from him!" she yelled, tears stinging her eyes.

As quickly as it came, Soul was back standing next to her, completely unharmed. Penelope was once again on the house's steps, an evil grin across her delicate features. A wave of nausea hit Soul and he fell to his hands and knees, vomiting violently.

"W-w-what just happened?" he sputtered.

"I don't know…"

"That," the witch answered, "was just a sample of my powers. It was only a hallucination. I never went near you, Death Scythe. I can do much worse. For example, those night terrors you've been having, Girlie, were all part of my plan. I knew you two were coming." She walked down the steps gracefully, white heels meeting the dusty ground. "You see, I'm not very good at fighting hand-to-hand combat like you two are. So, I wanted to beat down your confidence and drain your energy."

Maka clenched her fists. Soul stood up shakily, leaning against her for support. His whole body trembled next to hers. "Why do people like you insist on talking about their powers and strengths?! If you want to kill us then stop talking and just do it!"

Penelope chuckled, the nightmarish side of her flashing. "Then why are you just standing there?"

Maka's anger rose to dangerous heights. "Soul," she growled, "transform into a weapon."

"I-I can't."

"Do it now!" she shouted, keeping her gaze fixed on the blonde witch, unable to meet Soul's eyes.

"Did you not see what happened!? I could feel _everything_! I thought I was dying!" His voice shook as he yelled at her.

"It wasn't real!" She shut her eyes tightly, keeping the wave of tears from escaping.

"It was real to me!"

"Fine! I can kill her myself! I don't need your help!" Her last words panged her heart to say. "I'm fine without you!"

She ran as fast as she could to Penelope, fist ready. _I'm fine without you,_ Maka repeated in her head when she remembered the scene that took place moments earlier. She had to be focused. The witch crossed her arms and wore a devilish grin. Maka pulled back her fist, aiming right for her face but it was only met by a gust of wind.

Penelope was gone. Not a trace of her remained except for the traumatized emotions she left behind.

"It was just a hallucination…?" Maka sank to the ground, sharp bristles cutting her legs. Soul stood in the exact spot she left him. He stared without seeing, red eyes hollow. She lifted her head to the sky and screamed at the top of her lungs, then buried her face in her hands, finally letting the tears spill down her cheeks. "I'm not fine without you."

* * *

**I have no idea why I named her Penelope. Haha.  
**

**Thanks for the reviews! :D Next chapter is: "Apprehension"  
**


	4. Apprehension

**Hello! It's been a long time, hasn't it? My New Year's resolution is to finish this story. I can do it! I know I can! **

**This chapter is _super_ long so if you have a lot of time on your hands, just sit back and enjoy!  
**

* * *

_Chapter 4: Apprehension_

Raindrops streaked down the windows of the black limousine as it headed down the endless road ahead. Soul was slumped down in the backseat, a deep frown on his face and music blaring through his headphones. The surrounding landscape was all too familiar to Soul. He thought he'd never see it again. Correction. He didn't _want_ to see it ever again. It was the backwoods of New York, where Soul was born and raised, and where his prison lay. There had to be a very good reason why he would come back to this hellhole and there was, at least that's what he thought for now.

The day after he and Maka came back from their failed mission, Lord Death pulled Soul into his office to inform him that his father, of all people, asked that Soul visit. He was appalled at first. How could his father ask him to visit after all these years of silence? He was the main reason why Soul left. The constant nagging to practice, the competition with his older brother, and his unquenchable desire to be free were other reasons. However, after spending a couple of days with a sulking Maka and he would sometimes relive those terrifying moments with Penelope, he began to second guess his decision not to visit. So he contacted his father or rather someone who worked for him and without a word to his meister, left for New York.

The limo pulled into a long driveway with rows upon rows of pine trees. Soul's heart pounded faster. How would everyone react to him coming back after all these years?

A huge house loomed ahead in a clearing of trees. They came to the front door and the car rolled to a stop. Soul looked up at the three-story, white brick house through the tinted window. He swallowed hard before opening the car door and stepping out. He paused his music and lowered his headphones to his neck as a young man, who could be his twin, walked through the double doors carrying an umbrella and wearing an excited smile.

"Soul!" he said excitedly and ran down the front steps, "little brother!"

"Hey Wes," Soul replied less enthusiastically.

"It's good to see you." Soul's older brother rested a hand on his shoulder, his bright red eyes peering at him. "You got taller."

"Heh, thanks," was all he said.

Wes' smile faltered. "He'll be glad to see you, Soul. Don't worry about it."

Soul arched his eyebrows. "Don't worry? What am I supposed to say to him? 'Hey Dad, I'm still working for Lord Death and I finally turned into a Death Scythe. I only play the piano to increase my fighting ability. Oh, and I live with a girl my age and a cat that turns into a scantily clad woman.' Think he'll like that?"

"'A cat that turns into a scantily clad woman,'" Wes replied with a laugh. "What _are_ you doing over there?" Then he draped an arm over Soul's shoulders. "Come on, let's get out of the rain."

They walked through the doors together and into a grand foyer. Any other visitor would stop in awe but Soul wasn't the least bit impressed. He had seen it all before. He did, however, stop at a photo on a wall. It was of their mother in her earlier years. She was stunning, especially in the black and white photograph, and she could sing like an angel. When his mother sang, heaven itself would come down to earth to hear. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough and she was taken from this world. Her death was the final push he needed to leave the very house he was standing in.

"Your room is no longer usable so you'll be sleeping in the guest bedroom in the west wing," said Wes, bringing Soul out of his thoughts. He turned away from the picture and to his brother.

"That's fine. I didn't want to sleep in there anyway."

"You might want to change into something more suitable for father when he comes home," Wes said while eyeing Soul's leather jacket and jeans with disdain.

"Yeah," was the only thing Soul replied with. He should have known better than to wear casual attire in his father's house. There was a strict no jeans rule while he was growing up.

Wes checked the time on his wristwatch and his face brightened considerably. "Father will be home in about an hour and a half, and I have to pick someone up for dinner that I really want you to meet. In the meantime, make yourself at home again." He headed back to the door and a footman opened it for him. "It's good to see you again little brother."

"It's good to see you too." Soul wasn't sure if that was the truth or a lie. They had constantly butt heads but now they could tolerate each other for the most part. There would always be that wall of jealousy that hindered their relationship though.

"Young Master," said an elderly footman carrying Soul's luggage who looked like he had worked for their family since his father was a child. "I will show you to your room."

Soul shuffled uncomfortably at the formality but obliged knowing there was nothing he could do no matter what he said. They slowly climbed a large and magnificent staircase and then down a long hallway with many hand painted pictures.

Finally, they reached the room he would be staying in and the footman opened the door. The only thing that surprised Soul was how large the single bedroom was. It was nearly as big as his and Maka's entire apartment. The decorations were too fancy for his liking and on the windows were horrible frilly curtains similar to the ones in Paris where he and Maka stayed.

_Maka…_ Her bright, smiling face and clear green eyes appeared in his head. He tried to push her out of his mind, but he couldn't help but wonder what she would do when she found out he was gone.

* * *

"Papa!" Maka shouted when she entered Lord Death's office followed by a small crowd of students.

Spirit turned excitedly at the sound of his daughter's call. "Have you come to visit your poor, lonely papa?"

She shook her head vigorously. "Tell us where Soul is?"

"Soul? He's visiting his family," replied Lord Death in his usual cheery voice as Spirit sulked in a corner by himself. "Isn't it nice? After all these years he finally went to see them!" he continued on even though Maka had stopped listening.

She glanced at Liz who was beside her. "I thought he hated them. Why would he visit them now?" she whispered to her.

The tall blonde shook her head gently. "I haven't got a clue. But it seems strange, suddenly leaving without telling anyone, especially you."

"I wonder if there's something wrong," Tsubaki whispered, her hands were worriedly clasped under her chin. "The other day he seemed out of it. I asked him if he was okay but all he said was not to worry about it."

Maka's face grew solemn and she bowed her head. _What if he left because of me, because of what happened on our assignment? _

"He's coming back, right?" Black Star said with a hint of anger.

"Of course! I'm positive he will come back in his own time," Lord Death answered while looking directly at Maka.

Her heart ached painfully as she wondered how long that might be.

Later that evening after Maka finished a satisfying yet lonely meal- Blair was out doing what she did best- she curled up on the sofa with a book. She figured that since Soul was visiting his family it would be more peaceful and she could get a lot of reading done. But after fifteen minutes of stillness pounding against her ears, she hadn't finished a single paragraph. She hastily grabbed the remote and pressed the power button. The T.V. blared to life and Maka relaxed, she could pretend that Soul was watching it in the adjacent chair.

When she finished reading a chapter Maka placed the book aside and turned off the television. The lonely quiet immediately returned as impenetrable as a single match in a pick-black fortress. She stood still, at a loss of what to do. Her feet took her down the hallway to Soul's bedroom door. She smiled at the memory that took place only the other week when she face planted at his feet because she wanted to make sure he was still alive. Her fingers found the cool, brass knob and she swung the door open and flicked on the light.

He was courteous enough to clean his room before he left. Clothes that were once on the floor were now clean and hanging neatly in the closet. Even his bed was made (first time Maka had ever seen that).

Something in the closet caught Maka's eye and she cautiously walked over to it. She lifted it from the rod. It was Soul's Spartoi uniform. She stared at it for a long while, remembering how good he looked in it and she silently thanked heaven no one was around. Carefully, she placed it back when something else caught her attention. Her hand slid down the yellow sleeve before taking the leather jacket from the hanger: Soul's signature jacket that he used to wear before Spartoi.

Then for a reason she didn't yet know, Maka slipped her arms in the sleeves and pulled it on. Wrapping her arms tightly around herself, she sat down hard on the bed and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and smiled blissfully. She loved how Soul's smell lingered even when he did not. A lonely tear ran down her cheek but she flicked it away, pretending it never existed. Then she snuggled down on his pillow and quickly fell asleep.

* * *

In the foyer by himself Soul stood silently like a statue. It was customary to greet their father at the door when he came home. And so, that's what Soul was doing.

The gravel crunched underneath rubber tires, and a car door slammed followed by several footsteps. Soul tensed and he wiped his sweaty palms on his pants. The doors swung forth and in strode a man in his early 50's who was clearly Soul's father. Their appearance was exact except his father had a mustache-the only facial hair acceptable in their family.

Mr. Evans barely moved his eyes to look at Soul and walked straight passed him without missing a step. Soul let the breath he was holding whoosh through his lips. _That went better than I thought. _

Wes stopped in front of Soul. "He's in a foul mood but it's not your fault, don't worry."

"He's always in a foul mood," he mumbled and Wes chuckled softly.

"True, very true. Brother, I want you to meet someone." Out of nowhere, a slender brunette with exotic brown eyes stepped forward. Soul never saw her come in. "Soul, this is Emily. Emily, this is my little brother Soul."

Emily bowed slightly. "It's nice to meet you, Soul."

"Same here," he replied.

Wes and Emily then exchanged a series of flirtatious glances that made Soul grimace.

"Are you two dating or something?"

They looked surprised at the accusation, as if it wasn't so obvious. Wes smiled and said, "You'll find out." He offered an arm to Emily which she took. "We better head over to the dining room."

Dinner was quiet and awkward. Soul was expecting his father to interrogate him about his life in Death City but he had yet to say a single word to him. After many painstaking minutes, Wes finally broke the silence.

"I have wonderful news." He had a wide grin on his face and when he looked at Emily she beamed brightly. "Emily and I are engaged. We're getting married in September, and I want you to be my best man, Soul."

Soul choked on the bite of broccoli he was chewing. "Are you serious?"

"Of course I'm serious," Wes chuckled from the expression on his face.

Soul looked from his brother and Emily's glowing faces to his father who was more interested in the embroidery on his napkin than the news that his eldest son was getting married. Then it dawned on him. It wasn't Soul's father that asked him to visit, it was Wes. Soul felt a wave of admiration towards his brother, and the wall hindering their relationship cracked.

"Sure, that'd be cool," he replied with a grin.

"While we are on the topic of relationships," their father finally spoke up, "You're not going to start one with that girl you're screwing, I hope." His red eyes burned into Soul's.

The whole room became unearthly quiet. There wasn't a single noise or movement from anyone. Soul was beyond furious. He clenched his jaw and balled his fists in the white tablecloth.

"S-Screwing?!" he spat out.

His father raised an eyebrow. "Yes. You cannot convince me otherwise. You are a teenage boy living with a girl, and not to mention she has a father with a no-good reputation. The apple never falls far from the tree as they say. Is that why you're living with her?"

"Shut up," Soul growled.

He had the audacity to laugh and continue on. "I see. So you're only there to lay around with that whore…"

"Shut the hell up!" Soul yelled and stood up so fast his chair fell backwards. "She is nothing like that!" His father stood up as well and his voice began to rise.

"You will destroy this family's reputation all because you want to screw around with a _slutty little girl_!"

Soul's temper skyrocketed pass critical level. His face was red with furry and his knuckles white from clenching so tightly to the tablecloth. Before things got any uglier, he spun around and headed for the exit.

"Get back here, Soul Evans! We are not through talking!"

Soul paused for a split second, flipped his middle finger up at his own father, and stormed down the hallway and out the front doors into the pouring rain.

The rain helped wash away most of his anger but there was still a flood of emotion swirling inside him. The most predominate one was a sense of loneliness. All day he had tried so hard not to think of Maka but after the argument with his father, she was the only thing occupying his thoughts.

_What is she doing right now? Is she safe? Is she lonely? Does she miss me at all?_

After getting soaked to the bone, Soul slowly headed back to the house. No one was around when he opened the door and peered inside. He walked down the hallway, his shoes squeaking with every step. Once he reached the room he was seeking, he quietly stepped inside and closed the door. The room was filled with a variety of instruments and in the midst was a Steinway.

Soul pulled off his jacket and tie and tossed them to the side then rolled up his sleeves before sitting on the bench. It had been a long time since he played the piano other than using it to amplify Soul Resonance with Maka. But he was suddenly inspired to play a song he had been meaning to play for a certain someone. His fingers hit the first notes and the memory instantly played back in his head.

* * *

It happened on a Saturday night some time ago. Soul got out of bed to get a midnight snack and upon stumbling into the kitchen, noticed the T.V. was on. He was walking to the living room, rubbing his eyes from the glare of the screen when he heard a series of sniffles. Maka was curled up on the couch, crying his eyes out.

"Maka," Soul called out softly. "Are you okay?"

Maka gasped and hid her face behind a pillow. "I-I'm fine," she mumbled. "I couldn't sleep so I decided to watch a movie."

Soul plopped down beside her and watched a few minutes with her. It was some kind of cheesy chick-flick that he was not at all interested in.

"This is my favorite part, when she sings this song," Maka whispered. She had the pillow pressed against her face with her eyes peering up over the top. Tear stains streaked down her cheeks and Soul was tempted to wipe them away but changed his mind at the last second and ruffled her hair affectionately instead.

After that night Soul took it upon himself to memorize the song so he could play it to Maka on the piano. He never had the chance to play it though.

* * *

Soul was so lost in the music and memory that he didn't notice someone walk in.

"What's her name?" a timid voice asked him from behind. Soul jumped and spun around on the bench to find Emily smiling down at him. He was going to refuse to answer the question but there was a yearning inside him that wanted to talk about the girl he left behind in Death City.

"Maka…Her name is Maka."

"That's an unusual name but I like it," she said kindly.

"Yeah…" _I do too._

Emily pulled up a chair and sat down. "Tell me about her."

Soul gave her a puzzled look. He had just met his soon to be sister-in-law and he was surprised she even wanted to know about Maka after the argument with his father. She seemed genuinely interested though and the yearning inside him was still prevalent.

He gave a crooked grin. "First off, I've never had sex with her."

Emily's eyes grew wide, and she covered her mouth with a hand to giggle and said, "My, you are so straight forward. The way you defended her, I didn't think you did."

"Sorry about that."

"It's fine. Every family gets in fights. So, tell me about Maka. What does she look like?"

Soul fingered the piano keys before speaking, imagining Maka's face in his head. "She has big green eyes and dark blonde hair that she always puts in stupid pigtails…but I kind of like it." Once he started talking about her, he couldn't stop. His mouth just kept going and going. "She has long, skinny legs and fat ankles." He chuckled slightly. "And she's very flat chested."

He kept his eyes on the piano and smiled. "She gets on my nerves a lot but somehow we manage to deal with it. She's a complete bookworm and really bossy…but in spite of all that she's the coolest person I know."

"You really care about her."

"Heh. Yeah, a lot. Too much actually. I would do anything to protect her and yet I left her all alone in Death City. She should be safe there though, if she doesn't do anything reckless."

* * *

Down one of the hallways in DWMA Maka ran. She was in a hurry to find Dr. Stein to ask him questions regarding a certain white haired young man. As she was running, someone stepped out in front of her. She skidded to a halt.

"Maka! My sweet Maka!" exclaimed her father.

Maka pushed passed him, eager to get a way. "Papa, not now…" She stopped dead in her tracks. A sudden thought occurred to her. She could probably get more information out of her dad than Stein. With a sinister glint in her eyes, she slowly turned around. "Papa," she said in a sweet voice, "Do you know where Soul is?"

"He's with his family," Spirit replied. "Good riddance I say. Now I don't have to worry about him destroying your innocence. You can get a new weapon, a girl this time, preferably with large-" An encyclopedia suddenly imbedded itself in his skull.

"I'm not getting a new weapon! Now, tell me more specifically. What's the address?" She put back the book neatly in her bag.

"Why? You're not planning on going after him, are you?"

_Grr, this isn't going how I planned! _Then an idea came to her. She didn't like the idea but she knew it would get her what she wanted. She swallowed hard and said while batting her eyes, "Papa, I promise that if you tell me everything, I will go on a daddy daughter date with you."

"D-daddy d-daughter…date?" he squeaked. Maka nodded. His eyes glazed over and he seemed to go into a world of his own for a short time. "What do you want to know, Sweetheart?"

* * *

**I have a friend who is studying piano at college, and she is incredible! She can whip out some Rachmaninoff and Beethoven like no one's business. So, when I try to imagine Soul playing the piano, I think of her playing. **

**The next chapter will come much sooner than this one did. It's called _Scandalous_. I'm secretly really excited about it! :D  
**


	5. Scandalous

**Hey guys!** **A thousand apologies for the long absence!**

**Please enjoy this chapter! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 5: Scandalous_

The building was completely overwhelming. The huge structure was definitely for the upper class rich with its large windows overlooking a magnificent front garden and roman-like columns. Maka gulped. _So this is where Soul use to perform._ She hiked up her dress and climbed to the top of the stairs.

The inside was just as beautiful as the outside. There were large chandeliers dangling from the ceiling, many statues, and a well-sized stage where musicians were already playing. There were also hundreds of people, all wearing fancy clothes that made Maka's dress look second class.

"How am I going to find him in here?" she mumbled, her eyes frantically darting around the room.

She maneuvered her way through the throng of people. There were some near the stage, listening intently to the music. _No, he wouldn't be over there. _Others were dancing. _He definitely wouldn't be over there. _She stopped walking when she reached the middle of the grand room. _Let's think for a second. He would most likely be sulking in a corner by himself. _She scanned the walls for anyone with white, spiky hair.

_Ah ha! _There he was, standing by himself and leaning against the wall. He was sporting a black suit complete with a black shirt and tie. She was embarrassed to admit it, even to herself, but he looked really handsome.

Soul glanced up and caught her eye. His expression was puzzled at first but a slow grin spread across his face. He began to force his way through the crowd towards her and she did the same.

Maka wanted to burst into tears and run to him and she might have if there weren't hundreds of people around. She hadn't seen him for six days, not that she was counting. It was too long to be separated from him. She wasn't used to it.

Maka chewed her bottom lip in anticipation as they drew closer. A few people tried to stop Soul but he just pushed past them. Only a few more people separated them and then they would meet.

Suddenly, a man stepped right in front of her and she almost collided with his chest.

"Oh! Sorry," she said and looked up to see who it was. Her jaw hit the floor. It was an older version of Soul! "You… You're…"

"My name is Wes. What might your name be?" He asked in a smooth voice and flashed a dashing smile.

"I-I'm Maka. Maka Albarn," she stuttered.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Maka Albarn." Wes took her hand and pressed it to his lips. Maka's whole body flushed. It was too much! He looked exactly like Soul. _Except their eyes,_ she noted. _Wes doesn't have the fire in his eyes that Soul does._ _Where is Soul?! _She tried to look behind Wes to see him. "So, you're my little brother's meister?"

She snapped her head back to him. "How do you know that?"

"Soul talks about you all the time."

Maka blushed. "He does?"

He chuckled. "Yes, he is very fond of you." Her blushed deepened and she tilted her head down to hide it. A hand appeared in front of her. "Would you like to dance?"

* * *

Soul was beyond furious. He wasn't sure if Wes had noticed him but that wasn't the point; he was keeping Maka away from him and she looked pretty too! She was wearing a t-length, dark purple dress with a black bow and her hair wasn't in her signature pigtails but tumbled down her back.

The longer he watched them the angrier he got. He wanted to sock Wes in the face when he kissed Maka's hand. Now he was offering his hand to her in a gesture to dance. _Oh no you don't! _Soul marched over to them, grabbed Maka's hand before she could take his brother's and rushed away to the dancing area.

"Soul!" she yelped when he pulled her with him. They reached the other dancing couples and he stopped to face Maka. She beamed up at him. "Thanks. I don't know what I would have done if I danced with him. You know how terrible I am at it."

He smirked back. "I just didn't want him to dance with you before I did."

"But we already danced before…"

"That doesn't count." He put his hand on her waist in a dancing position and pulled her closer. They swayed to the music, joining the surrounding couples. "How did you get here?"

"I persuaded Papa to tell me where you were, and I took a train for four days," she held up four fingers, "to get here!"

"Why?"

Maka paused for a moment and shyly, peered up at him. "To persuade you to come back." More defiantly she added, "You can't just leave! We're a team and what about the others at the academy?"

A sly grin spread across his lips. "Maka, Maka, Maka," he said while slowly shaking his head. "You think I would leave everyone to live a life like _this_? You don't know me at all."

Maka's face brightened tremendously. "So…You're not staying?"

"Of course not. I made the decision long ago that I would never live here again. I live with you, remember?" Soul replied with a warm smile. He could see water building up in her eyes. _Oh no, not the tears!_

Without warning and in the midst of the dancing couples, Maka threw her arms around Soul's waist. It only lasted for a fraction of a second but a few of the couples saw and chuckled.

Soul's arms were still in an awkward dancing position so he dropped them to his side. He was surprised not only about Maka's sudden embrace but the way he felt when her arms were around him. It was a peaceful feeling, like everything would be okay because she was there.

Maka stepped back. Her head was down and she tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing very red cheeks. "I'm glad," she mumbled, wiping the tears from her eyes.

Soul took her hand, "Come with me," he said and quickly walked through the throng of people and down a large, dark hallway.

"Where are we going?" Maka asked after he slowed down.

"I want to show you something." Still hand in hand, they entered one of the rooms down the hallway. There was only one thing in the spacious room: a piano.

"Oh!" Maka exclaimed in mock surprise. "It's a…very pretty piano."

"You don't have to pretend to be interested."

She turned to him, peering up at his face with her big, green eyes. "But if it's important to you then I want it to be important to me too."

"It's not that important to me anymore," he mumbled and fingered the ends of her hair. She whipped her head away and walked away from him, letting her hand slip through his. _Crap! Why did I do that for? She's pissed now! _

"Did you use to live here?" She didn't look at him but she didn't sound upset either.

"No, but I came here a lot. When I wanted to be alone I would come to this room."

Maka simply nodded and walked over to the piano. Only her silhouette could be seen against the moonlight as she trailed her fingers along the edge. "Can you play for me?"

She was acting a bit strange but he couldn't figure out why. "I guess if you want." She finally turned to him.

"Really?!" she exclaimed while playing with the ends of her hair.

Then he understood. She was nervous because he pulled a move on her. A smile crept to his face, and he walked over to her and the piano. Sitting down on the cool, black bench, he played the first thing that came to his head.

His hands glossed over the keys, each finger hitting the notes perfectly. He glanced over at Maka who was watching his fingers intently as if trying to memorize everything he did. _That's just like her. _

After a few minutes he stopped and pounded his fingers against the keys as a finale. "There's more but you get the gist of it."

"What's it called?"

"Everyone knows Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata!"

"Everyone except me," she pouted and crossed her arms.

"You're right, everyone except you." He was teasing, of course, but that didn't stop Maka from becoming more upset. "Here," he scooted to the end of the bench and motioned for her to sit next to him. "I'll teach you a few things."

Seeming excited, she promptly did so. Soul took her right hand and positioned it on the piano. "This is middle C," he said and pushed down her thumb. "It's important, so remember it." He poked her forehead as he said so and she glared up at him. He continued down her fingers, explaining each note they hit. "Think you're ready to learn a song?"

"Yeah!" Maka said eagerly.

"Alright, follow my lead." Positioning his hand further down the piano, Soul played the first notes of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and waited for Maka to do the same.

To be frank, she was beyond terrible. He had never heard the old nursery song played so horribly. After a few agonizing minutes, Soul couldn't take it any longer. "You suck!" He busted out into laughter.

"Shut up! I'm trying!" she glowered.

"I knew you were bad with music, but I didn't know you were _that_ bad!" Her temper skyrocketed and she made a move to stand up but Soul caught her hand and pulled her back. "Sorry," he tried to say in a sincere voice but the whole situation was hilarious.

"I'm frustrated! Why can't I get it?!" Angry tears welded in her eyes and eventually fell down her cheeks.

"Maka, it's okay. You don't have to be perfect at everything and you don't have to know everything about music to understand it." He smiled encouragingly. "Hell, I don't know everything about it."

She gave a small smile and wiped her tears with the back of her hands. "Do you think I'll ever learn?"

"No way!" he said with a laugh and she gave a watery giggle.

"I was pretty awful, wasn't I?"

He nodded, still laughing. "But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it. Just sit back and listen to it instead of trying to take in everything at once like you always do."

She grinned sheepishly. "You're right. Play for me again?"

"Alright, alright," he complied and began playing a peaceful song.

Maka scooted closer and nestled her head on his shoulder. A bright smile spread across his face and he intertwined his fingers with hers, the other hand playing random notes. He didn't think she would notice.

Minutes ticked by until Maka jolted upright as if shocked by an electrical charge. As she stood up her fingers unlaced themselves from his.

"What's up?" Soul asked. Maka walked to the door without giving an answer. "Maka?" He stood as she turned the knob and exited the room.

She was already halfway down the hallway when he thought to run after her. He caught her forearm but she immediately ripped it away.

"Don't Soul." Maka's voice was low and without emotion. "I have to go." She spun around, her long blond hair whipping Soul in the face and continued down the dark hallway.

"Hey!" Soul yelled after her, "What's going on, Maka!"

She started running into the throng of people in the ballroom with Soul right behind her. They caused an uproar as they pushed through the crowd.

_An Evans chasing after a girl, it was unthinkable! _

Soul finally caught her arm and yanked her to him a little too forcefully. However, instead of being furious for nearly ripping her arm off, Maka only stared down at the floor.

"You're not really Maka, are you?" Soul asked while gripping tightly to her shoulders. "Look at me." He took her chin in his hand and forced her to look up at him. Her eyes were dull and glazed over, and at that moment he realized who was behind it: Penelope.

"Soul, what are you doing?" It was Wes' voice.

Soul turned to his brother, and noticed that everyone in the ballroom was staring and whispering behind their hands. Maka seized the opportunity to tear away from Soul's grasp and sprint for the exit. "Maka!" he yelled and ran after her again.

When he reached the door, at the bottom of the steps was a woman with light blonde hair and a long flowy gown standing hand in hand with Maka. Penelope blew him a kiss and in a puff of smoke, they were both gone.

"No!" Soul took a step to go after them but a firm hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Soul…"

"Wes, you don't understand! Maka is being possessed by a witch and was taken!" Soul couldn't help but yell. How dare Wes try to stop him!

"I'm sorry. Dad told me to stop you from creating more scandals." His elder brother gave him a sympathetic look. "What are you going to do?"

Soul balled his fists, his red eyes blazing with anger and determination. "I'm going to get Maka back." With that said, he ran down the steps while unbuttoning his suit jacket, climbed on his motorcycle and sped down the long driveway.

Wes watched as Soul's racing motorcycle kicked up dust and rocks. A sideways smile graced his lips. "When did you start growing up, little brother?"

* * *

**Thank you for reading! Hopefully I'll post the next chapter earlier. ;)  
**

**Chapter 6 is called _One, Two Three_. **


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